1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the protection of health care personnel from potentially contaminated fluids. In particular, it relates to a shield and method of using a shield for containing spent irrigation fluids or wound drainage fluids.
2. Related Developments
Heretofore, body fluids resulting from procedures such as wound irrigation and abscess-drainage frequently splashed or squirted back onto the physician or health care personnel performing the procedure. This is highly undesirable, especially if the irrigation fluid or wound abscess fluid are contaminated by Human Immunodeficiency Virus, hepatitis Type B or C viruses, or other pathogens capable of transmitting disease by contact with mucous membranes or openings in the skin. Thus, these fluids present infectious hazards to health care personnel and can also soil clothing. The common practice has been to use several gauze pads to partially block the spray of body fluids, such as blood or purulent material, while allowing a compromised view of the task at hand. While offering some protection to the operator, the degree of protection is unfortunately inversely proportional to the operator's ability to see the wound site. Other methods to cope with this problem have included protective face shields, goggles or stationary plastic sheeting erected between the operator and his patient. The various goggles and face shields have ceased to gain wide acceptance and use due to discomfort, cost, and a need for cleaning between use. Goggles and face shields also do nothing to protect the clothing of both the operator and the patient. The plastic sheet barriers also require cleaning or a change of the sheet, lack mobility, and do not prevent the splash of body fluids onto the patient, linens, and forearms of the operator. The "Simpulse Pulsed Lavage System" marketed by Davol Inc. is a self-contained, high volume, high velocity wound irrigation system designed to prevent contamination of the patient and health care personnel in the irrigation fluid. However, this system is limited to use in the operating room due to its size, cost, and the production of one or more liters of blood-tinged saline.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,003 shows a splash shield for preventing backsplash of irrigation fluid. In this device, a syringe body is affixed to a central irrigation port that is spaced a substantial distance from the wound site. In addition, this shield is quite rigid and cannot be pierced by medical instruments, such as hypodermic syringes or scalpels, and cannot be easily conformed by hand applied force to the shape of the wound site.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,332 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,688 show sealing devices placed over a wound to enhance cleansing, healing or disinfection with irrigation fluids. These arrangements show insertion of hypodermic needles into membranes communicating or forming fluid filled chambers. However, these designs do not show hand-held shields for preventing backsplash.
German Printed Patent Publication No. 28 09 828 also illustrates a protective cover for irrigating wounds, which cover is adhesively fixed to a body.
British Patent No. 641,061 shows an irrigation system with a wound cover strapped in place over the wound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,599 shows an eye cup with an irrigation fluid supply and collection system.